Change Your Mind
by pengz
Summary: ’’Charlie rather thought that, if Professor McGonagall was Hermione’s role model in life, she was well on her way to a long life of discipline, work, and spinsterhood...’’    The reluctant romance of Charlie Weasley and Hermione Granger. CH4 UP 081507
1. Chapter 1

**Change Your Mind**

**By: pengz**

AN: This is post DH. Please note that I leave Fred alive and mischievous because I can't bear writing him out and leaving George cold. And the title is from the song "Change Your Mind" by The Killers; it inspired me a bit to write this.

Disclaimer: Song is owned by The Killers and the book & characters to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Charlie Weasley had just come home from a long day on the Dragon Reserve when he accepted a Floo Call from none other than his cheery mother. So there he crouched on his hearth, listening to his mother's instructions about the second wedding that had helped plan.

"...and, Charlie? Do make sure you arrive early for the rehearsal, he'll have a fit if anyone's even two milliseconds late."

"Yes mum, I know how Percy is."

"And make sure you've got your robes clean and pressed. Merlin knows if you'll be able to get any of that done once you get here."

"Yes mum, I won't leave it until last moment."

"That's my boy. Oh! Will you be bringing a date?"

Charlie paused, his mother looking hopefully at him through the fire. "Er, Laura's quite large now. Don't want her stealing the show from the bride, do we?" He answered cheekily, referring to his latest flame.

"CHARLES!" His mother screamed, absolutely scandalized at her son's words.

"Only joking mum, I won't bring her. I know you can't stand the sight of her. Besides, she's too big, now, to Portkey or Floo over there anyway." Charlie chuckled, seeing his mother so flustered.

"Just be here early, Charlie, is all I ask. Never mind bringing a date, this wedding is about Percy and Penelope after all." she replied exaperatedly.

"Yes mum."

"Goodbye, Charlie. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Yes, goodbye mum."

When his mother had disappeared from the flames, he rose and stretched before collapsing back onto a sofa before the fire with a smile. She had actually forgotten to mention his hair; a lazy mess that crept down his neck and ended in soft curls a good two inches from his shoulders. Perhaps the trim he had given himself was now proper in his mother's eyes. Shrugging he glanced toward a side table where a few picture frames sat, all of them moving. Amongst them Charlie was happy to see a recently taken picture of himself and Laura the Lithuanian Spray Scale at the reserve. (She stood at an enormous four stories tall, sufficiently dwarfing the keeper who raised her from an egg.)

Alright, it was downright lame that Charlie did not have a human girlfriend and that he considered a good companion to be fire-breathing and larger than life. But such was the life of a dragon keeper. He liked adventure, danger, and nature all mixed up together, thank you very much, and his occupation gave him all of that. And the added bonus that he, a long time single twenty-nine year-old, did not have to endure frequent long-suffering talks with his mother about settling down and having a family away from the Reserve. Though Charlie did, in fact, live away from the Reserve, Molly preferred that her son would settle in Kent or something equally closer to home or at least within the same country.

As much as he adored dragons and his occupation, Charlie did not fancy the idea of being roasted in his sleep by a stray flame caused by a yawn of one of his charges. No, instead of living on the Reserve, as more of the younger less paid keepers tended to do, Charlie owned his own home in the city of Sibiu in Transylvania. It was not flashy or expensive like he knew Percy and Penelope's was set to be after their union, but quite cozy like Bill and Fleur's Shell Cottage.

Charlie sighed again before dragging himself up and shuffling to the kitchen to make himself some supper. This was one of the setbacks of living alone (though he'd never admit to his mum for fear of being convinced to move closer to home or to look for a wife), he had to feed himself or get take away. Truth be told he'd like to settle down very much if he found the right girl. Someone who wasn't fussy about going outdoors or his job. Someone who wasn't straight-laced yet had morals enough to please his mum. Brains but not overwhelming amounts of it, good-looking, and fond of children.

'She'd definitely needed to be a great cook too,' Charlie thought, tasting his own barely passable excuse for spaghetti and meatballs.

Giving up his dinner to be a bad job, Charlie left home for a favorite eatery of his, not too far from home. The life of a bachelor was not as tasty as it looked.

* * *

The next morning dawned bright and crisp. There was a tad bit of a chill in the air assuring Charlie that this spicy autumn would soon give way to winter. After a quick shower and a spot of breakfast, he fastened a cloak over his work clothes and apparated to the Carpathian Mountains Dragon Reserve. 

Upon entering, he headed to his boss's office: A small cabin at the Reserve's entrance. He greeted many of his co-keepers along his way before stopping to knock on the door.

"Come in." came a rough voice from the other side.

"Morning , Theo." Charlie said as he came in and closed the door behind himself.

Theodric Zanipolo was a man a good ten years older than Charlie. With his black hair tied back with a strap of leather, short beard, small blue eyes, and large flared nose, Theo looked very much like a dragon himself (though no one ever said so). Like Charlie, he was a terminally single man who favored a life with dragons above anything. Though he had a rough exterior, Theo was quite generous and understanding amidst the long hours on the Reserve.

"Just came in to remind you I was leaving tonight and that Remming will be watching Laura and the rest for two days after that." Charlie sat opposite of Theo with a simple desk separating them.

His boss nodded. "Wedding?"

"Yes, my brother's."

"And you'll be staying for only two days?"

Charlie pulled a look of confusion. "Er, yes sir."

"I think, considering that you don't go home very often and rarely ever take holiday from the Reserve, that you should stay a bit longer with your family."

"I see them twice a year. They understand my work." Charlie felt odd discussing his holidays with his boss but brushed it off as concern.

True, Charlie rarely fell ill enough to not care for his charges and went home for Christmases and Easter. But, in his defense, he stayed home for quite some time for Bill's wedding. Then there was that three month stretch from Easter to July three years previous. Ginny had been pulled out of her sixth year at Hogwarts because of the growing dangers there. And, feeling that he should be with his family at a time like that, Charlie returned to the Burrow as well.

Theo gave him a searching look then shrugged. "Just in case you need to stay home for a few days, know you're covered here until you're good and ready to come back."

* * *

"FRED! Stop jinxing Percy into speaking like that or so help me—!" Molly Weasley was roaring over her shoulder as she opened to door of her home, "Charlie! Oh, dear, you've just arrived on time." His mother pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. 

"Just in time for what mum?" Charlie asked as he followed his mother inside and sent his bags back up to his old room with a flick of his wand.

"The twins need to remember the word respect and I'm afraid Bill can't take them on by himself anymore...they've jinxed the groom to well you'll see..." She led the way into the kitchen where he could hear Percy speaking most unPercy-like words.

"Come back here, you Goddamned twats and fucking undo this bloody jinx. "

"What the–?" Charlie muttered in surprise. Percy never swore. And here he was, spouting obscenities like water fountain.

"I'm sorry, what was that, dear bridegroom?" George said with a delighted smirk, Fred doubling over in laughter right next to him.

"Undo the pussy-eating jinx, or I'll choke you with Merlin's left ball and stuff your pale ass back up mum's ovaries!" Percy replied, trying desperately to stop the profanities from leaking out.

Bill was at the back door of the kitchen surveying the scene in the kitchen, mirth playing along his features. When they were younger, Bill and Charlie made sure the twins didn't bother Percy or Ron too much though it was seldom to need both of the eldest Weasleys at once to disperse a fray. Now that they were older, and indeed more clever, neither Bill or Charlie would take a chance of taking the twins without the other.

"Hey, Charlie!" Fred called as their mum left the kitchen not even bothering to yell as whole-heartedly as she had done in her childrens' youth.

Percy whipped about looking absolutely livid. "I have had it with these mother-fucking twins in this mother-fucking house!"

Normally he would have let the jinx wear off so the twins could have their fun, but Percy was not one to be crossed so near to such an important day in his life. So, being the good big brother he was, Charlie picked George up by the scruff while Bill did the same with Fred and both were given a fierce shake.

"Fun's over, kids, what's the counter jinx?" Charlie said routinely.

George smirked as Fred stuffed his hands into his pockets. "It wasn't a jinx." Fred said in a sing-song voice.

Bill rolled his eyes remembering one would have to ask the twins exactly what they needed if they didn't want to get the wrong results. Charlie, however, flexed his arm threateningly at George who always crumbled first.

"Alright, alright!" George yelped holding his hands up in surrender. Though Charlie was not the tallest amongst them, he surely had more muscle than Fred and George put together, making him a threat for bodily harm that didn't require a wand.

"Eat this." Fred handed Percy piece of candy shaped like a penis somewhat grudgingly.

Oddly enough, Percy swallowed it in a heartbeat then tested out his speech.

"You two, that was the most foul thing I have ever—!" Percy choked, his ears red in embarrassment.

Charlie and Bill dropped their younger brothers who were guffawing like mad.

"Oh that was brilliant, Gred!", George said approvingly.

"Thank you, Forge!" Fred said, giving a little bow as Percy continued sputtering.

"What did you give him to make him talk like that?" Charlie asked curiosity getting the better of him.

"What Penelope said he can't have until their wedding night." Fred winked.

* * *

Charlie took to the stairs after sorting out the twins to unpack before the rehearsal dinner. He was so intent on getting to his old room that he hadn't noticed Ginny coming down the stairs until she shrieked. 

"Charlie! When did you get here?" She threw her arms around him, a wide smile on her face.

"Just a few minutes ago. It's chaos down there, Fred and George made Percy say some choice things with one of their products."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "They'd better not do it during the ceremony or Mum'll murder them."

Charlie gave a chuckle. "Where's Dad and Ron?"

At this his twenty-year-old sister smirked. "Dad's in the shed with Harry working on a some muggle contraption. Ron's over at Luna's probably snogging her to death."

With that she flounced down to the kitchen with a wave, leaving Charlie to enter his old room; it was good to be home.

* * *

"...then I declare you bonded for life." Minister Shacklebolt rumbled closing the ceremony with a shower of stars and bright lights from his wand falling over the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Weasley. 

Fred and George, both of whom were surprisingly the Best Men of the groom, led the applause with wolf-whistles and cat-calling. Then with a sweep of the minister's wand, the chairs all disappeared, leaving a large dance floor.

The wedding was very much like Bill and Fleur's in it's set up. Many believed Percy would have had a much more lofty affair, but Penelope would not have it, siting a small, intimate affair would be more reasonable. Charlie believed that the other members of his family were secretly glad that Percy had chosen a sensible, level-headed witch for a wife instead of a snooty princess for the wedding might not have been as enjoyable with two bridezillas.

After the first song finished, more couples began joining in. He roamed the edges of the dancing couples with a glass of champagne before sitting down at a table. This is the part he hated about weddings, the part where he had no one to dance with. He was sure that everyone already came with a date so he felt awkward about asking. Then again that thinking was just his excuse not to ask in the first place. Truth be told, Charlie Weasley was rubbish with women: He had never truly practiced the art of wooing one. There was no time for dating in his life anyway.

At Hogwarts all he ever cared about was Care of Magical Creatures and Quidditch. After that he took up a position at the Reserve to Study dragons. Sure, there were women whom he had interest in but they would always have to make the first move and Charlie was quite shy and rarely ever free for a date. Not to mention his dangerous job scared the women who had enough sense to fill more than an eggcup (the others who found his job exhilarating were either tittering air heads or something similarly brain dead). Alright, so Charlie Weasley wasn't truly all rubbish with women, just a touches of shy, lazy, and picky: all of those qualities did not merit a relationship and he was content with that.

"Charlie?" He looked up from the dance floor to a charming young woman in a light blue dress; her inquisitive brown eyes could only place her to be-

"Hermione, hi! You look nice."

Actually, she looked better than nice; she looked lovely. When Charlie first met Hermione seven years previous, he had considered her a child and his little brother's friend; only half of that was the truth now. Now, at twenty-two, she was obviously a confident, grown-up witch. From what he heard, Hermione was a bit of an uptight workaholic and very single (he supposed working in the Ministry's Department of International Magical Cooperation did that to a person who surpassed Percy in capacity to work). She was seven years his junior and did not like the idea of "letting loose" if she could help it. Charlie rather thought that, if Professor McGonagall was Hermione's role model in life, she was well on her way to a long life of discipline, work, and spinsterhood.

"You look good yourself. Not up for dancing or revelry?" said Hermione.

"Dancing, never. Revelry, why not?" He motioned to a sea of champagne glasses littering the table were he was seated and resulted in upsetting a few in his gesture (did he have that much to drink already?).

Observant, thought she was, Hermione only noticed the evidence of Charlie's said revelry when he knocked the glasses over. Clearly he was already in an inebriated state at nine in the evening. She sniffed slightly at the sight, just barely restraining herself from turning her nose up at Charlie's like for bubbly. She was actually surprised he hadn't started drunkenly singing "Odo the Hero" like he did at Bill and Fleur's wedding three years ago or the anniversary parties of Harry's defeat Voldemort; he seemed to have enough liquid courage in him to do just that right about now.

"Well, I best be off now. I've got work tomorrow." Hermione said stiffly. "Goodnight."

"'Night!" Charlie said a little louder than normal, more evidence of inebriation.

He saw her bid the newlyweds goodbye and a happy marriage before she disapparated beyond the gate. After ordering a few shots of firewhiskey from a passing server and throwing back about three of them, he and Ron led a good number of equally drunk wedding guests into a dazzling chorus of "Weasley Is Our King".

* * *

How's my depiction of Charlie? 

See you in the next chapter.

xxx  
pengz


	2. Chapter 2

**Change Your Mind**

**By: pengz**

Disclaimer: Song is owned by The Killers and the book & characters to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

'Christmas would be a cheery affair,' Charlie thought to himself when the holidays found him on the doorstep of his childhood home, snow blanketing around him, 'if I wasn't supposed to get married against my will in about seven months' time.'

* * *

Three-and-a-half years after the death of Voldemort found the wizarding world in a slump. St. Mungo's was reporting a continuous forty-seven percent decline in birth rates while a twenty-six percent depression in marriages stuck out like a sore thumb in the figures of the Ministry's Department of Matrimonial Services. The last war had taken many able bodied witched and wizards with it as well as bloodlines and large wizarding families. 

At first the decline was blamed on the year long reconstruction period of the wizarding world. Then, when marriage and birth rates did not accelerate from then, Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt let it slide a little further, not wanting to aim a bludger at the delicate balance the Ministry had just reinstated. But, as no improvement came worry began to ripple through the magical community. What if a new generation did not exist to Hogwarts to learn? What if this was the beginning of a recession? Were these the twilight years of magic?

So the Ministry answered these questions of concern with the medieval and highly dreaded Marriage Law.

It had time and again saved the magical world from extinction but was always a last resort. Minister Shacklebolt decided to act before it was too late and passed the Marriage Law with a few amendments added to it since its last use in the fourteenth century. The news came to the Wizarding world in the Daily Prophet as a holiday gift on Christmas Eve Morning

Charlie read the title of the front page the morning he was due to leave for the Burrow for the holidays and promptly choked on a piece of kipper.

"_**Minster of Magic Signs Medieval Marriage Law into Reality**_

_The Amended Marriage Law of 2001 is as follows: _

_All witches and wizards aged 21 through 35 must comply to the Marriage Law of 2001. Any who contend with the said law will have their wand snapped, memories wiped, and will be placed into muggle society. This is a massive effort to stabilize and secure the future of the Wizarding World. _

_Eligible wizards must send an official proposal to the witch of their choice by midnight December 31__st__, 2001. Witches, who receive proposals, must in turn come to a final decision by January 31__st__, 2002._

_In cases where witches have not made a decision or have not received a proposal to respond to by January 31__st__, 2002, the Ministry will default to choosing a partner for them. To ensure this unfavorable situation does not befall oneself, comply to the Marriage Law as soon as possible._

_Once proposals have been finalized, the nuptials must take place within the following six months or by the 4__th__ year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, whichever comes sooner. By the one year anniversary of the said nuptials, the wedded party must have one healthy offspring."_

* * *

The door opened to reveal the grinning, lanky figure that was his youngest brother, Ron. 

"Hey Charlie! S'pose you read the Prophet already?" Said Ron, helping his brother with his bags by sending them upstairs with a flick of his wand.

"Yeah, some Christmas present from the Ministry, eh?" Charlie replied glumly as he entered the Burrow and hung his traveling cloak in the closet.

Ron grinned at this before leading the way to the kitchen. "You're taking it loads better than some. Hermione popped in from her delegation trip to Switzerland this morning, still in her bed clothes and holding the Prophet, ranting and raving about having to make herself a proper wife and putting her career at the Ministry on hold. And that was _before_ she finished the article. Poor girl practically had a coronary when she found out she'd have to have a kid too."

Charlie laughed at Ron's truths about his best friend as they finally entered the kitchen to see their mother and Ginny fixing up what looked like a massive Christmas dinner. "So who will you be proposing to, little brother?"

The tops of Ron's ears turned red as Ginny let out a laugh.

"Oh, he's already proposed to Luna, haven't you Ron?" Their sister smirked as Ron's blush crept from his ears to his cheeks.

"You have? Any you've been keeping it quiet?!" Charlie thumped his brother hard in the back.

"Well he only did it a few hours ago, after he read the Prophet. Marched right up to the Lovegood's, in the snow, to ask Xenophilius for Luna's hand." Molly said, positively glowing with pride at her youngest son. "She said yes, naturally."

"Well done, Ron." Charlie said as he ruffled the younger man's hair affectionately.

Ron mumbled a small "thanks" before announcing he had an errand to run with Luna and would be back before dinner. When he disappeared towards the direction of his fiancee's home, Molly sat Charlie down with a plate of sandwiches and a glass of pumpkin juice.

"So, have you got anyone you'd like to propose to, Charlie?" His mother said in a delicately conversational voice.

For a moment Charlie considered going bout his usual route of 'Oh, mum, I'll settle down proper when I find the right girl' then realized that he'd be settling down in mere months. And he hadn't had any serious relationships...ever.

"Er... No, I don't. Haven't had time to look, have I?" Charlie said slowly, before swallowing half his sandwich.

"That's bollocks, Charlie." Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "You don't give time to look."

"Mind your mouth Ginerva." Molly chided before returning her attention to her second eldest son. "Your sister is right, Charlie. When was the last time you had a girlfriend?"

"Can we not talk about my love life or lack thereof?" Charlie groaned.

It was a red flag when a twenty-nine year old wizard talked about his romantic life with his mum, something Charlie would do anything to get away from.

"You haven't much time, Charlie, dear. Scarcely more than a month you have to get your act together and find someone. Look at your brothers and sister. Bill and Percy are both married, Fred is getting married in March, George is steady with Katie, Ron's just gone off to buy Luna an engagement ring, and Ginny's been engaged to Harry since Percy and Penelope's wedding... it's just you now." She paused her cooking to sit across from her son. "I don't want you to marry someone out of the Ministry's put you with; it might be someone you don't even relate to. What then?"

* * *

Charlie considered his mother's words as more people began to fill out the Burrow for Christmas Dinner. Surprisingly her words did not hold as much water as Ginny's did because she was so right and direct; he hadn't given the dating scene much time. He glanced up and down the table to watch the people in his family; everyone else was either with their significant other. The only exceptions were Percy and George; the newlyweds, as per tradition, were spending their first Christmas together alone while Katie was spending it with her family. Everyone was being so lovey dovey it slightly perturbed Charlie. If this was what he was missing in the dating realm, perhaps the nauseous feeling in his stomach was the reason why. Citing a bathroom break to leave the table for a few minutes, Charlie nearly bolted away from the scene and out to the snowy front yard. 

In the prickly cold of Christmas Eve, Charlie wondered what it was like to find _the one_. Would it come slowly or all at once? Would the first thought in his mind, upon meeting her, be 'That's the girl I'm going to marry'? Was there some sign to see for certain? He sighed deeply, a great puff of hot air visibly mixing into the night air, if _the one_ for him existed she'd need to show herself soon or else he'd have to marry a witch of the Ministry's choice.

* * *

The rest of Charlie's Christmas was blurred into nothing while his New Year was no better. As soon as he apparated back to his own home in Sibiu he did try a hand at finding out who from his Hogwarts years was still single. To his unbelievable luck, any girls he'd even consider were already married. Yes, yes, Charlie Weasley's luck was just not playing to his advantage. He had even looked for prospects, at most, two years younger than him (it was all he could stand, it wasn't his fault he didn't like witches who weren't at least around his own age). 

When he only had one week before the final proposal deadline, Charlie decided to place a Floo call to the only witch he had confidence in due to her experience in matchmaking.

"Ginny Weasley, the Burrow." Charlie said after throwing some Floo Powder into his fireplace and kneeling before it. A moment lapsed before his sister's face appeared in the flames before him.

"Ah, hello, Charlie, how is the search going?" Ginny said.

"It's driving me mad, why couldn't the Ministry give us two months instead of one? What in the bleeding hell were those idiots thinking?" Charlie let out before he could stop himself. He heard a sputtering sound on Ginny's end and gave her a questioning look. "Is someone there with you? I'll call back some other time if you have company."

"No, no, it's just me, Errol was just snoring." Ginny replied. Before her could say anything else she was on top of his case. "You can't find anyone, too eh?"

"Yeah. Why? Who else hasn't gotten anyone yet?"

"A friend of mine. She's gotten a few proposals but she's a picky bird. But beautiful witches have that right, don't they?"

"Sounds more snooty than picky to me." Charlie said, wrinkling his nose.

"I'd say the same about you."

Charlie snorted. "So can you help me out, Gin? I'm running out of time."

His sister's face lit up with a mischievous smirk. "Well how about..."

Nearly and hour later Charlie was still in square one. Ginny had gone through her whole list of single friends, including some sexy teammates of hers from the Holy Head Harpies, but Charlie always found something wrong with each witch. This sufficiently frustrated Ginny.

"This is probably the first time I've had a straight wizard turn down a date with a Harpie!" She threw a calculating look at her brother. "You are straight, aren't you? Because if you failed to tell me such a vital piece of information, I will chuck this list at you right this very second."

"I have balls, Gin, and balls mean I'm a wizard who likes witches and not taking it up my arse." Charlie replied sourly.

* * *

All Charlie could do the last few days leading up to the deadline was hurriedly open the howlers his mother was sending him on a daily basis berating him for not being in touch with his emotions, chucking out every chance of finding himself a wife to be with his dragons... The rants went on and on and did not make Charlie feel any better about his situation. Some of his siblings tried to cheer him up with hopeful letters and such and Ginny even went so far as to say "perhaps the Ministry found your _someone _for you". 

Two letters arrived the morning after the deadline passed, a day off for him. They were apparently supposed to be read in a particular order seeing as the lighter of the two in weight was stamped "1" and the heavier one "2". With apprehension buzzing in his fingertips he sat down on the sofa in his living room and ripped open the first one.

* * *

_Dear Mr. Charles Weasley,_

_Our records at the Ministry of Magic show that you have not offered a proposal of marriage to a witch, in compliance to the Amended Marriage Law of 2001_._ This letter is to inform you that your inaction has resulted to the default in which the Ministry will choose your life-bonded partner for you._

_Enclosed in the envelope 2 is the identity and a few facts about your future wife. Please arrange contact with her as soon as possible to allow for adjustments and plans to be made._

_If you feel that this letter has arrived in error, please inform the Ministry immediately._

_Thank you for your time and good luck in your marriage._

_Sincerely,_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Minister of Magic_

_

* * *

_

"Well, I figured that's what it would be..." Charliesaid to himself.

Setting the notice aside he reached out to the second envelope that held the identity of the witch who would, in six months or less, become his wife. Did he even want to find out who he'd be spending the rest of his life with?Who was the witch who would bear him his firstborn (and, maybe only-born, if they didn't get along)? Had he ever met her before or would this be the chance to make a first expression to last a lifetime? Sighing soundly to himself he opened the second envelope.

The first piece to come out was a colored, moving head shot of a chestnut haired, brown eyed witch. Charlie's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates in shock.

"Merlin's left testicle..." his whispered, fumbling with the envelope to get the data sheet inside.

_Name: Hermione Jean Granger_

_Date of Birth: September 19__th__, 1979_

_Parentage: Muggle-Born_

_Education: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Years 1-6. _

_Occupation: Head of Department of International Magical Cooperation_

_Miss Granger played a vital role in the downfall of the Dark Lord and served in the Battle of Hogwarts alongside longtime companions Harry James Potter and Ronald Bilius Weasley_.

"I'm going to marry Hermione 'Bossy Boots' Granger." He shook his head before glancing back down at the photograph. True to her real-life counterpart, the picture-Hermione was picking invisible lint off her pressed-stiff robes. Charlie watched as she gave a huff and patted down her curly, no longer bushy, mane. Then she simply walked out of range of the frame.

* * *

To say that Charlie knew Hermione personally was a gross overstatement. In truth he knew, perhaps, two colors of her spectrum (he assumed she wasn't a black-and-white personalitied person, no witch was ever _that_ simple) that Ron and Harry had always been privy to. He thought that the color he knew of her was a pleasant pink one for she had always been nothing but proper and nice to him. The other color would have to be Gryffindor's maroon as it was a symbol for her bravery driven determination displayed throughout her years at Hogwarts, in the final battle, and at the Ministry. Surely she had an impish green streak somewhere in her seeing as she had been best friends with two boys for nearly half her life, but Charlie had yet to see it in live action. 

It was good to know basic things like this about one's future wife but Charlie could scarcely remember ever having a lengthy conversation with her. Then it hit him like a curse to the face; he had six months to learn everything about her.

"I mean, you have to know a person well enough to marry them and well move in with them... and do other things with them, don't you?" Charlie asked of thin air. "Bloody hell...I have to have sex with a girl seven years younger than me...?!"

Let one thing be known, Charlie Weasley was very far from a virgin. Charlie Weasley had a number of drunken one-night stands... and relationships that only had to do with getting off (not really a relationship but anyway). Was she a virgin (she didn't seem like the one who would give it up without thorough thought)? Would she just want to get roaring drunk on their wedding night, conceive their one child (he supposed, because both of them were so career oriented they'd only have one), and forget they ever have sex? What did she look like without that those stuffy Ministry robes? Without any clothes? What was it like to reach out and touch her? Was she a moaner or a screamer?

WAIT.

Was he thinking about having sex with... Hermione Granger? Ickle Ronniekins' best friend? Charlie looked down at his crotch where a tent made of his pants was half-pitched. He gulped audibly at the sight and suddenly felt like a dirty old man preying on pubescent girls.

**

* * *

SiuanSedai: **Thanks for reviewing and for the correction! I'm so retarded sometimes. 

**another stars hallow freak: **Thank you!

**QuakingQuibbler: **Thanks! I'll get to it as soon as I've got time.

**Jolie71:** Thanks! That happens to me too. Yay for wiggle room!

**Katyes:** You're perceptive! Yes, I love Charlie too. Thanks for R&R-ing!

**starsinthesky123:** Thank you! Remembering him in our work keeps him alive.

**Winters'Darkened'Reflection: **Hahaha... he was a bit drunk, yes. Thanks for R&R-ing.

**lemonicelolly: **Thank you!

* * *

A/N: So, how'd you like it? And yes, this is my take on the Marriage Law, how else would I get these two together?  
Thanks everyone for R&R-ing, I had not idea people actually liked this pairing that much... See you all next chapter! 

xxx  
pengz


	3. Chapter 3

**Change Your Mind**

**By: pengz**

Disclaimer: Song is owned by The Killers and the book & characters to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

One of the most recognized faces of the wizarding world, besides the mugs of Harry Potter and sidekick Ron Weasley, was that of Hermione Granger's. She was one of the most celebrated heroes of the Final War and the youngest witch to ever hold a Ministry Department Head position. Much to her dismay, however, the gossip rags focused most of their articles on her attractive surface rather than her accomplishments. This coupled with her high celebri-witch status was nearly always the reason why wizards asked her to dinner; they wanted their fifteen minutes of fame with Hermione Granger.

Once the Marriage Law came about, she held another lofty pedestal that any other witch but herself would have loved to have occupied; Recipient of the Most Marriage Proposals. By the time she had apparated back into her hotel suite in Switzerland from the Burrow (she had popped in to rage about the unfairness of the new law to Ginny, Harry, and Ron), she had no less than one-hundred-and-forty-six proposals littering her coffee table. The flow of proclamations of love and gifts along with the proposals eventually came to a stop the day of the deadline and totaled at two-hundred-and-fifty-three proposals, ten sets of dress robes, jewelry, and enough sweets and flowers to last her a lifetime. Of course she sent them all back to their senders with letters of deepest sincerity for not accepting the proposals.

There was no one out there that she wanted (except for that American muggle actor, Brad Pitt, but that was a terribly long shot) and would rather the Ministry find her the man she would marry. She didn't have time for any of this rubbish or having children; she ran a whole department for Merlin's sake! Therefore Hermione resigned herself to trusting the Ministry's decision on who would best suit her and went about her life as though she was not about to embark on the whole new idea of marriage.

So on February 1st, Hermione expected two letters from the Ministry- a notification and the identity of the wizard she would be marrying. She did not, however, expect a third letter or Ginny and Luna.

"Why would we miss such and important day in your life, Hermione?" Ginny said to explain her and Luna's presence in the said witch's posh flat.

Luna nodded. "There's nothing more exhilarating than opening letters bearing your future. A bit like receiving your first Hogwarts letter, don't you think?"

Hermione grinned for the blonde's benefit, this was nothing akin to her first Hogwarts letter. She settled down into the comfortable love seat (a love seat that never had the opportunity to live up to it's name since it's owner was a workaholic prude) of her livingroom with the three letters in hand while the younger witches made themselves at home on either side of her. "Alright then, I'll open these, you'll commiserate with me for a minute or two, and get on with life. I've got a load of work at the Ministry today."

"It's Friday!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Exactly." Hermione said, closing the point swiftly. "I'll open this one first..." she picked up the letter she hadn't been expecting which, upon opening, was written under the personal letterhead of the Kingsley Shacklebolt.

* * *

"_Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

_There is nothing like impending marriage to shake up one's life. Knowing you as I do, I must ask that you take this day off and not return to work until Monday. Furthermore, I have reduced your responsibilities and dispersed it among capable members of your department so that you will be able to take every Friday off , in addition to weekends, to spend more time with your future spouse._

_I have taken personal care to ensure a smooth transition into marital life, now it is your turn to do the same for yourself. Please do not insist on taking your work home with you or dispute the extra day off I have added to your schedule for I will take it as a personal offense; I may even consider firing you. Do enjoy the free time you now have and I will be glad to see you on Monday morning._

_Sincerely,_

_Kingsley S."_

* * *

"He knows you so well." Luna mused when Hermione finished the letter. 

The eldest of the three gave and angry huff. "Who does he think he is, telling me I can't go to work on a Friday?"

"The Minister of Magic, your boss, in case you've forgotten." Ginny replied cheekily. "Go on, open the other letters!"

Hermione knew better than to not take Kingsley seriously and she loved her job so there was no way she'd argue her way out and extra day off. "No need to open the first one." She said, tossing the envelope stamped "1". "It's only the notice that I haven't accepted any of my two-hundred-and-fifty-three proposals." Taking the very last envelope in her hands, she suddenly felt the cool, confident exterior she had been carrying over the past five weeks slip. This was it.

Sliding a finger through the closing of the envelope, she opened it neatly and pulled out the contents. The photograph was out first followed by a small sheet of parchment. Within it's full-color frame was none other than Charlie Weasley. His cerulean eyes looked up at her cheerily, a roguish smile on his lips, his wavy flaming red hair casually pushed away from his freckled and tanned face.

Beside her Luna and Ginny gasped while she struggled to catch her breath. Quickly she pulled out his data sheet and read it aloud without taking in a drop of the information.

* * *

"_Name: Charles Weasley_

_Date of Birth: December 12__th__, 1972_

_Parentage: Pure-blood_

_Education: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Years 1-7. _

_Occupation: Senior Dragon Keeper at the Carpathian Mountains Dragon Reserve, Romania_

* * *

Charlie Weasley? Thrill-seeking, dragon-keeping, firewhiskey-sloshing Charlie? Couldn't the Ministry find some else? Someone less likely to die from his hazardous occupation? Someone more serious? Hermione didn't voice her inner-questions partially in respect of Ginny and partially because she couldn't _find_ her voice. 

"You're going to be my sister!" Ginny squealed suddenly, pulling a still stunned Hermione into a hug. "We're all going to be sisters!" She added, pulling Luna in as well.

Hermione summoned up a pleasantly surprised face to replace the dumbfounded one that felt as though they were chiseled into her features. "Yes, sisters..."

"I think you should tell Molly." Luna suggested after their bout of hugging and congratulations. "She'll be so thrilled to know you'll be a Weasley as well."

"And you've got to see Charlie about this. He's probably forgotten today's the day of the arrangement letters or can't move because he's enchanted by your picture!" Ginny said in a rush.

Hermione nodded numbly. "Yes, I'll do that. I just need a moment to myself." Then she saw a look with the intention of prying cross Ginny's features and was thankful Luna spotted it too.

"To collect your thoughts? After that, you'd need to. And," Luna paused glancing down at her watch, "Ginny and I have to go to work now. We'll check up on you later. And don't worry we won't tell anyone yet."

Without another word, Luna helpfully dragged Ginny out of Hermione's flat, leaving the witch alone. It was nearly a whole minute before Hermione made any move to leave the love seat. She slowly made her way back to her bedroom with Charlie's picture in hand. Kneeling before her bedside table she looked into a simply framed muggle picture of her parents taken a few days before she modified their memories; it was nearly five years old.

"Mum, Dad, this is the man I'm going to marry." Hermione whispered, setting Charlie's picture to face her parents'. "His name is Charlie Weasley and he's a Dragon Keeper in Romania."

* * *

For Charlie, the reality of marrying Hermione Granger finally began sinking in when the said witch pulled out a wedding planner. But of course he had no idea what it was until she explained it. 

"It's a wedding planner, it helps organize all the details of a wedding." Hermione said, seeing Charlie's confused expression at the simple white notebook. "I bought one at a muggle stationary store before coming here."

"Here" was the Leaky Cauldron where Hermione had requested, via owl, to meet Charlie for lunch after receiving their letters.

"Aren't they supposed to have, erm, ruffles and lace?" Charlie asked. He had seen Fleur, and Penelope with these things; they were usually decorated frilly material on the outside and were even more discerning on the inside. "The ones Fleur and Penelope had for their weddings had loads of ruffles and lace on theirs."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm nothing like Fleur or Penelope." She replied with a bite in her tone.

"Er, no, I didn't mean it like that. It's just I thought that all of them came like that." Charlie said embarrassedly.

"I ripped the decor off." Hermione said, showing him the parts of the notebook that once had delicate material sewn into it. "I'm not one for frilly, girly things."

"So I take it you won't be wearing a gown for the wedding?"

"I think a simple white dress will do."

Charlie's eyebrows jumped to his hairline. Didn't women dream of their perfect wedding day with a huge contraption they call a gown and all the flowers in the world? The way she was acting so indifferently about the first, and perhaps, only wedding she would ever have made Charlie wonder privately if Hermione was a man in a past life.

"Er, right. Listen, if you just want me to nod and agree with you on everything, just tell me and I'll do it." Charlie said, hoping it would keep him in a safe zone. He was terribly wrong.

"Charlie, a marriage is about teamwork. It's about working as a single unit- one person should not hold all the decision making nor the responsibility." With the look on her face was most harsh and again, Charlie knew he bollocksed up another topic.

He was about to apologize again when she held up her hand, the other pinching the upper part of her nose, her eyes closed. "Let's just plan this wedding, alright? We've still got to drop by the Burrow later on and tell you parents the news, assuming Ginny hasn't already told them."

"Ginny knows?"

Hermione cracked open an eye before sighing. "Yes, she dropped by my flat this morning before practice. She was with me when I opened my letter."

Charlie's mouth fell into a thoughtful 'o' shape before he spoke again, trying to choose his words as carefully as he could. "Look, I can see just thinking about planning our wedding is stressing you out, why don't we just relax for a few days before we hit the books on this?"

She gave him a look so reminiscent of Professor McGonagall any and all thought of Hermione being a sexy intellectual was instantly zapped from Charlie's mind.

"Procrastinating will not help matters at this point." She said sharply.

"Neither does planning our nuptials like it's next week." Charlie didn't feel like backing down on this subject, damn his stubborn Weasley attitude.

"Alright, instead of planning our wedding, what do propose we do?" Hermione leaned back in her seat, eyeing him coolly.

"Let's go on a date."

Now it was Hermione's turn to have her eyebrows jump in surprise. "A date?" She said blankly.

"You know, those things that usually happen repeatedly before people get married?" Charlie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I know what a date is!" Hermione replied heatedly.

"What do you say then, _love_?" Charlie urged not knowing where his boldness to term her as such came from.

"We're on terms of endearment now, are we?" Hermione said keenly.

He smiled cheekily, making a soft blush appear about her face. "Why not? Or are '_sugarplum_' or '_darling_' more your cup of tea?"

"You can call me whatever you like, just don't do it in public." Hermione said in a most uninviting tone.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "You take the fun out of everything." He threw down some gold for lunch, slipped out of his seat, and offered a hand to Hermione. "C'mon, _sugarplum_," he said loudly, "let's spread the news."

"I said, not in public." Hermione gave an indignant huff, ignored Charlie's hand, and stalked out of the Leaky Cauldron with Charlie at her heels, grinning.

"_Darling_ don't make a scene!"

* * *

Once Charlie caught up with Hermione at the brick wall entrance of Diagon Alley she whipped around to face him. Their height difference, as he stood at a bulky six-foot even and she a petite five-foot-five, was defined now as she had to tilt her head considerably to look at him. 

"You listen here. I don't want to marry you, I'm only going along with this law to save my job." Hermione hissed virulently, her eyes blazing in indignance of her current situation.

To hear that from any girl was a blow to a man's ego therefore Charlie felt justified in his next words.

"Glad we're being honest then. You think I want to marry someone as stuffy as you? I think not." he whispered in equal measure. When Hermione merely pursed her lips and said nothing more Charlie continued. "We both have no choice. I know that. So why don't you just get off your high thestral and realize I'm trying to get along with you despite our new arrangements."

He had never been one to take people down a peg or two then again Charlie had always been too nice a bloke for anyone to force him into such action. Hermione stood there, arms crossed defiantly across her chest, considering him. The only person to have ever put her in her place like this was Ron back in their Hogwarts days (perhaps it ran in their genetics). Since then, no one really talked back to her, nor had she ever been rude to a person being so obviously civil. There was only one thing to do.

* * *

**Katyes: **I tend to surprise people a little bit. I've always wanted to paint my own Marriage Law portrait so I thought, why not complicate things after the wedding? His questions came as a rush to me when I wrote it, it wasn't in any of the drafts but all of a sudden I had this stream of conciousness and it just had to be there. 

**Winters'Darkened'Reflection:** Thanks, glad you loved it!

**mysticpammy:** No, thank _you_ for taking the time out to read!

**lemonicelolly:** This chapter was fun to write, so thanks! Hermione is a second character in this story so we'll see most things from Charlie's point-of-view with shots from her.

**EyeofDlarme:** Thanks for reading!

**ginsensu:** I think they look great together too, thank you for R&R-ing!

**evilTC:** I won't leave you hanging, promise! Thanks for reading.

**FredWeasleyLover1126:** Thanks, will do!

**another stars hollow freak:** It was hard to think of anything funny enough, I'm glad you liked it.

**Toxxic-Hugs:** His dirty thoughts were amazing to write. My lewd mind played a huge role in it. Hahahaha, thanks for reading.

**Redmaui:** Love this pairing very much myself, thank you for R&R-ing.

**xxXC8Xxx:** It's my joy to bring you entertainment. And we do need more Charlie/Hermione fics!

**monnbeam:** Thanks, hope you liked this chapter!

**Right or Ryn:** Another surprised reader, yay! Hermione is a total prude in this fic. It will play well into the whole thing, but I don't want to give too much away. Actually he was referring to the act the would be involved in having a child- he's thinking she's such a prude she won't even want to remember having sex with him. I'll got edit that to have it make more sense. Charlie's questions _are _to show how little he knows Hermione which, again, will play well into the fic. This is pretty much from Charlie's end with a few shots from Hermione to keep her alive and fighting throughout. You're hella insightful - I thought I was reading an essay based on deciphering a poem! Thanks for taking time out to read this fic, you're awesome, you and your Brit-speak.

* * *

I don't have much confidence in this chapter, but hey, every story has one of those 'ick'-filler chaps before it gets down to the nitty-gritty. So thanks to everyone who R&R-ed. I was so excited you guys liked how I have been protraying Charlie. Whew! 

You are all so amazing, hugs and kisses to everyone!

xxx  
pengz 080907//1159a PAC.


	4. Chapter 4

**Change Your Mind**

**By: pengz**

Disclaimer: Song is owned by The Killers and the book & characters to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

'Admitting you're wrong is hard enough as a normal person.' Charlie mused inwardly as he watched the witch before him struggle with herself. 'It must be hell on earth for anal perfectionists and know-it-alls like Hermione.'

Indeed Hermione looked as though she had just been ushered through the gates of Hades itself. Actually, when Charlie discreetly scrutinized her, he noted she looked more constipated than anything else. Was acknowledging she was in the wrong and out of line that hard for her? He would have gladly rescued her from Hell de Awkward but figured the experience would teach he that he was no doormat and that she was, at times, wrong.

"That was very rude of me and I apologize." Hermione said, avoiding his eyes and looking at his chest instead.

Charlie blinked, his mouth hanging open in surprise. Hermione, too, looked properly gobsmacked at her own words.

With his many years of experience as an older brother whose patience was thicker than that of his mother's, Charlie knew apologies were courageous and left the apologizer felling quite vulnerable. Hence, his understanding words followed.

"Now, that wasn't too difficult was it sugarplum?"

She shot him a dirty look that plainly wished to condemn him to a thousand drawn out deaths and huffed into Diagon Alley.

Lovely, right back to square one for Charlie. Yet, in his defense, he meant it to lighten up the tension filled air between them. Hermione was so like Percy sometimes; couldn't take a joke as easily as kid a piece of candy. And so he found himself keeping pace with a mildly annoyed Hermione who was heading to Flourish and Blotts.

"I've got something to pick up." she muttered without looking at Charlie. "Then we can go to the Burrow."

When he opened the door for her, she showed a sign of appreciation with a curt nod and a nearly silent 'thank you'. Charlie followed behind her all the way to the counter where and old wizard greeted her with a familiarity that suggested she was a regular in these part.

"...These out-of-print books were an especially difficult find, Miss Granger, but your loyalty to this store considerably speeded up the hunt for them." the old wizard said, handing Hermione a large bag of books she had just.

As Hermione said a few find words of thanks, Charlie too the bag from her grasp and smiled, saying, "I'll take them, love."

The wizard's wrinkled face pulled into an expression fo surprise. "Are you Miss Granger's boyfriend?"

"Her fiancee as of today, actually, and proudly so." Charlie answered jauntily and even put an arm around Hermione's stiff, smiling figure. With a jolly wave to the wizard (who wished them a happy and child-filled future together), they left the shop. Once outside, Hermione dropped her smile with a crash and marched into an alley between two shops with Charlie and her books in tow. When in seclusion from the main street, she turned to face Charlie with a most incensed expression tarnishing her otherwise attractive face.

"What are you playing at Charlie? Honestly, what?" she bit out, trying to control her emotions.

Simply smashing. Another row with Hermione and they hadn't even told his parents yet.

"Like I said, I'm trying to get along with you and your sodding attitude. But if you'd rather I be a brute about this, I can do that instead." His tone, compared to Hermione's, was calm but threatened something vehement if pushed.

"No, no. That's not what you're doing!" she cried in frustration. "You're being a complete idiot about this, acting as though it's all fine and dandy. It's not! You're in the way of my _life_ and I'm very sure I'm in the way of yours as well So stop pretending you can stand the idea of marrying me because I know it's the last thing you want to do. No one who really knows me would want to get involved in a marriage where he's second banana to my job that I love more that myself. Just stop pretending." Hermione finished her speech in heavy breaths, a light pink tinge on her cheeks.

Then Charlie saw it, saw the crack in her armor and attacked, knowing it was the only way to get her back to humble earth.

"So that's you're problem, that's the reason you've managed to stay single all this time? Because you don't think it's possible that anyone could relate to you? That everyone is so below your status like you're some reigning queen from another galaxy? Then you're right, no one would have to get involved with you, but only because you're pathetic.

"I'm making the best of what's been put in front of us. I figured I was only getting married once if I could help it so I tried to do it right. But here you are, making every little thing a battle. I don't want this anymore than you do, but that's life so grow up because not everything will run your way." He paused, looking more galled and disappointed than angry at this point. "Now if you'll excuse me, _your highness_, I'll be making my way to the Burrow to tell my parents about us." With that, he disapparated with a pop, leaving Hermione in the alley with her bag of out-of-print tomes, stunned.

* * *

He had just done the impossible, he disarmed her, stripped her bare of her defenses and left her more emotionally vulnerable than she had ever been. His words, however stinging, were true. So true they cut her down to a fetal size. Was it too much? She did not know. It was brutal, surely, why else would she feel wounded and naked? 

Apparating back her flat, she promptly collapsed into her love seat. As her physical defenses crumbled, shame infiltrated her mind, slowly, painfully realizing that Charlie was right. More right than anyone could ever dream. He saw her for what she truly was– an arrogant, self-absorbed, bitch who fooled everyone into thinking otherwise by having their attention focused on her obsession for her job.

Perhaps it was the publicity raining down on her that made her this way (she surely hadn't been like this before she became the "Press' Princess"). It brought her above others, a subconscious effect she covered up with her illustrious occupation. Never she expect for anyone to dare her, challenge her to move from beyond her power. She had gotten so accustomed to no one coming close to her abilities and accomplishments (save for Harry and Ron who she counted were her equals in many ways) she had forgotten to take a spoonful of humility with every bite of success but hid the deficiency of it well enough. She wasn't single because she put her department and the Ministry before all else. No, it was all due to her mentality that non one would ever be worthy of her.

For Charlie to have just been picked by the Ministry for her felt like a slap in the face to her. It was injustice that she would have to marry Charlie Weasley, a dragon keeper, not someone who held a lofty Ministry position like her. She thought, if she were ever to marry, he'd have to be the male version of herself, someone to compete with.

But now, as she lay on her couch, it hit her. Charlie _did_ compete with her, his actions and reasoning were his way of showing that he could deal with even the most life-changing events. While he sailed through that challenge, she failed miserably, treating him like dirt on her shoe and exposing herself to being found out. What took years for Hermione to build up only took Charlie mere moments to discover and take down. He saw through her shiny facade.

* * *

With the Weasleys, nothing stayed quiet for long, especially when Ginny was the first to know. Luckily for Charlie, he made it to the Burrow before anyone else caught wind of his engagement to Hermione. Both his mother and his retired father were home to receive the news. 

"That's simply marvelous, Charlie, dear!" trilled Molly as she hugged her son tightly. "Did you hear that, Arthur?"

"Yes, dear." Arthur replied, beaming as his wife bustled around the kitchen to make some tea for them. "Your mum has been aching to Floo both you and Hermione since dawn broke, to see who the Ministry put you with. But I managed to keep her at bay so you could collect your thoughts on it."

"Anyway," Molly said loudly, choosing not to hear her husband's words, "have you met with Hermione about this?"

Charlie fought to keep his features and tone neutral and did so successfully. "We had lunch together then she had do run some errands so I came here."

"Oh, have her by on Sunday for tea with the Ginny, Luna and all the rest. She'll have to come now, seeing as she'll really be a part of the family. We're all discussing wedding plans, what with four, now five, couples getting ready for theirs..." His mother went on about a flurry of other details that Charlie sincerely hoped Hermione would have the patience to sit through.

After their altercation in Diagon Alley, he still felt a twinge of irritation at Hermione's stubborn and high-and-mighty attitude. He brushed it off, though, feeling that perhaps he was too harsh. No, she really did need to hear that from him because he was definitely _not_ going to put up with it. They were going to get along as normally as two people forced to marry should. Granted their situation would make things awkward at first, but it just had to work. They had to get along enough to have a child and work as a team in raising him or her , didn't they?

When his parents waved him from the door of the Burrow an hour later, Charlie was caught in sudden inspiration. There was a way to do this right. He was no Fabio, but he wasn't hopeless with women either. All he needed was that book...

* * *

It took a while for Charlie to find _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_ amidst the boxes in his attic where he stored all the items he didn't particularly need. 

When Fred and George gave him this book many Christmases ago, he had cracked it open and skimmed through it just for laughs but found it held some useful information. Armed with this, Charlie knew how to charm the knickers off any female in the vicinity if he ever felt the need to (his muscles and good looks helped as well but he never put too much store in the latter quality). Prior to Hermione becoming his intended, he hadn't felt the need to stretch himself out in the wooing department, for if he ever needed some carnal fulfillment (a rare occasion, considering his like of a solitary life), he'd get a nice looking bird at the bar. After a few drinks both were sloshed enough to consent to a one-night-stand and left it at that. Basically, Charlie didn't put too much effort in getting girls– his laziness and independence saw to that.

Settling down in his living room, Charlie opened the dusty hardcover and riffled to the chapter concerning the dating game.

* * *

After giving Hermione a day to recover from their spat, Charlie decided he would Floo her to see if she was alright and if she would join him for dinner that same evening. According to various chapters of _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_ he was to compliment her appearance and let her know he would enjoy her company. He was about to throw some powder into the grate of his fireplace and shout 'Hermione Granger' when the lanky form of his youngest brother tumbled out and bowled him over on the hearth. 

Before he could so much as get up and dust himself off, Ron was bellowing like an angry centaur.

"What the hell did you do, Charlie? I've just been to see Hermione and she's in pieces!" Ron watched as Charlie stood, coughing slightly.

"There's always two sides to every tale, little brother." Charlie said in an unappreciative tone.

Ron crossed his arms, a mutinous look on his pale features. "Tell me your side then."

Charlie raised an eyebrow and spoke slowly, as though speaking to a child, "It's between me and Hermione, so nose out, Ron, if you know what's good for you."

"No! She's my best friend, I deserve to know!" Ron ground out.

"Tough luck, then." Charlie replied also crossing his arms.

"Just tell me Charlie and I won't hex you six ways to next week."

"Good luck with that one, too." the elder scoffed.

"Tell me!"

"No."

"CHARLIE!" Ron roared, pulling his wand out in the process and pointing it directly between his brother's eyes. An angry Ron was one thing, but an angry, _wand waving _Ron was something to deal with (not his skill, but the lack of it that could cause more damage than initially meant).

"Fine, you twitchy prat. Put your wand down, will you?"

"_Fine_." He dropped his wand arm down but did not put his weapon away.

Charlie sighed, knowing this was as safe as he could get and began speaking. "Hermione said she didn't want to marry me. I said I didn't want to marry her either. Then we had a row after I told the clerk at Flourish and Blotts that was proud she was my fiancee." He paused, thinking it would be best to curve the next details so as not to make Hermione lose face in Ron's eyes. "We both said things that were out of line and I left."

Ron did not seem satisfied with Charlie's explanation and pressed further. "What exactly did you say to her?"

"She called me an idiot and I told her to grow up is all." Charlie shrugged, trying to keep what happened on the mild side.

"You don't tell her that!" Ron exploded. "You don't!"

"She called me an idiot. I bet my house, if she knew how to swear she would've said something loads more rude than that."

"But you don't tell her to grow up. Hermione _is_ grown up, if you haven't noticed." Ron said weakly as he did manage to see Charlie's point. "She's more mature than me and Harry most of the time."

"Obviously you haven't seen her the way I have." Charlie said, resting the case in a final sort of tone, then added to himself, 'More like seen _through_ her.'

"Right." Ron said shortly before pulling a face that plainly expressed, 'Do I even want to know?' "Well, I'll just nip back to Hermione's and see if I can do anything to calm her down."

"That's my job now, but thanks for the offer."

"What do you mean by that?"

Charlie rolled his eyes; sometimes Ron could be so daft. "I'm the one marrying her, remember?"

Ron left minutes later, citing he was to meet Luna for dinner. Once her was alone again, Charlie crouched in front of his fire, threw a bit of Floo powder in, and said 'Hermione Granger'. The connection took a bit longer to make since he didn't know the name of her house but, a moment, later, he was seeing directly into a neat living room with a couch behind a smart coffee table.

"Hello?" He called out. "Hermione? It's me, Charlie."

He heard the creaking of a door out of his line of vision and a slow padding of slippers against carpet. Moments later, Hermione appeared in front of the flames, her eyes puffy and red.

"Did Ron give you a hard time?" She asked without pretext. "I didn't mean for him to go off like that."

Charlie watched her wipe her face with her sleeve and felt a small tug at the corner of his heart. "Er, it's alright, I sorted him out." He felt obscenely discomforted in their still silence then remembered why he had Flooed her in the first place. "Listen, how's about dinner tonight? So we can get off on the right foot.."

"You're not still mad at me?" Hermione asked, astounded at Charlie's offer.

"No, in the first place I was just annoyed, really." He replied. "So how about dinner? It'll be like our first date."

"But I was absolutely horrid!"

Charlie raised an eyebrow at her. "And now I'm asking you to have dinner with me." She said nothing, her mouth hanging open to welcome flies. "Look, do you want to start over or not?"

Then, without warning and much to Charlie's utter dismay, Hermione promptly burst into tears.

* * *

**lemonicelolly:** Thanks for reading, I'm glad you look forward to it so much. 

**Katyes:** Whenever I think of Charlie, I think he's traditional and completely no nonsense. That clashes with Hermione's need for perfection and independence so he really smacks her with a dose of reality. Hope you like this chapter!

**Right or Ryn:** Their interactions are fun to write. As for having Hermione cut loose, that will be something else!

**mysticpammy: **Charlie's a nice guy, but he won't take crap from anybody, even Hermione! Thanks for reading.

**Winters'Darkened'Reflection: **Hermione, unlike Charlie, is so well trained she won't even think about him physically yet, such a PRUDE!

**another stars hallow freak: **Woo for Brad Pitt! hahaha. Charlie's just a great guy, he should've had more to him in the books. Thanks for R&R-ing!

**Toxxic-hugs: **An attitude like Hermione's should be a turn-ff to any man!

**Monnbeam: **Thanks! Hope you liked this chapter as well!

**xx Zenon xx:** 'Tis a beautiful thing! Thanks for reading!

**llamadelagua: **Well, thank you! There should be more Charlie/Hermione pairing stories out there. A real opposites attract kind of thing, I think.

* * *

I would have had this up sooner but there was a whole mess of things going on at my end. I'm tired. I start college next week so I'm trying to savor these last days as much as possible! Anywhoo, next chapter, I think we'll be seeing some changes for nearly everyone around. 

xxx  
pengz 08152007// 504p PAC


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